My Lily Has No Roots

Lily Root Systems

• Lilies have three root systems all on one plant. They have the contractile roots, which are thick and slightly wrinkly on the surface. The contractile roots form off the base of the bulb and will eventually branch out and become feeder roots. Basal feeder roots are another type of system that forms in approximately the same area as the contractile roots but will remain close to the bulb and are active for 18 to 24 months. They supply food and water to the bulb even when it is not actively growing. The final root system is the stem roots, which also collect and supply food and water but are not formed until spring. They are smaller and finer than the basal system and only last six months.

Armillaria Root Rot

• Armillaria is a fungus that lily bulbs may have and that causes the roots to rot right out from under the plant. The plant will exhibit signs of dryness that watering doesn't alleviate such as yellow leaves and wilting foliage. Armillaria mycellia will colonize the roots of a lily and work their way into the plant tissues. A fungal mat will form inside the plant tissues and interrupt the flow of water and nutrients. Eventually the plant will die. Remove and destroy infected bulbs and do not plant in the same area as the soil will be infested with the fungi.

Cutworms

• Lilies that are planted out in the garden may become the victim of cutworms. Cutworms are most often out at night and are thick C-shaped grubs of gray or dirty white coloring. They live in soil among detritus and come out in the evening to dine on young plant tissues and roots. The larvae are not great at climbing so they will not affect plants whose leaves are above soil level or with woody stems but the roots may still become part of the menu. Severe infestations as the bulb is just forming roots can denude the roots system entirely. Nighttime hunt and destroy missions with a flashlight prove to be the least toxic option unless you have garden fowl that can eat the pests for you.

Voles

• Voles are not to be confused with moles. They are smaller animals and are primarily vegetarians while moles eat earthworms and other insects. Voles live underground, often in abandoned mole burrows. They may eat the foliage of many plants including vegetables, ornamentals and trees. The damage is not limited to above the ground and roots may be eaten or just injured during tunnel activities. Lilies are on the menu for these animals, which do the most damage cyclically when populations tend to explode. Prevention includes fences or even just cleaning out areas where they might hide and live.